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Local gun owners speak out about President's Trump's gun law ideas

"One person with a concealed, legally concealed weapon, properly trained, could have stopped the whole thing."

Tony Taberna, 43, of Ripon, is a firefighter by day, but a gun owner who hunts when he is off.

Taberna was shooting target practice at the Manteca Sportsman’s Clubhouse Thursday.

He is not in favor of the president’s idea to raise the age limit from 18 to 21 when it comes to purchasing certain types of guns.

“I think you should stick at 18 for long guns because we send our kids at 17 1/2, 18 to go into the military," said Taberna.

Roger Beckler spent 23 years in the Marine Corp and served in Vietnam.

He also says no to raising the age limit.

“18 is the legal age when you are in the military, vote and everything. I think that should be the center for most everything that’s legal," says Beckler.

As far as stronger background checks with an emphasis on the mentally ill, that depends on which gun owner you talk to.

Retired Army veteran Roger Kuykendall from Stockton says background checks haven’t done much so far.

“Making them stronger. I don’t think they can," says Kuykendall who was at the gun range shooting with a hand gun.

But, Tony Taberna believes it’s worth looking into.

“Mentally ill is something that we need to take a look at. It’s something that needs to be addressed," says Taberna.

When it comes to arming teachers, gun owners like Roger Kuykendall say “some should” and if so, it could have turned out differently in Florida.

“One person with a concealed, legally concealed weapon, properly trained, could have stopped the whole thing.”

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